Travels with haRVy

Before heading to Manipouri and Doubtful Sound (prior post that I just had to get published first), we did a little more cruising along the Southland coast.

Yet another amazing beach with nobody on it! They are seemingly endless here.

Bluff, the most southern port town in NZ. Famous for oysters, which I can attest to being most delicious! Much meatier and less slimy than the New England variety.

Only 15,008 kilometers from home!

A beautiful garden oasis created in an abandoned lignite pit.

ATV cowboys heading cattle down the highway.

Now there’s a reassuring sign as we head to another remote freedom campsite.

Even though we were not going to take a boat cruise on Milford Sound, we heard the drive up there was worth the time, which it proved to be.

Oh joy, another narrow winding road. Glad I’m with a good driver!

Mirror Lakes were certainly reflective for us that day.

Can you tell this photo is actually upside-down?

A brief hike through the bush took us to The Chasm.

Much more amazing than it looks in this photo.

One of many waterfalls along the road. NZ is loaded with them!

Aqua blue glacial water, much like we saw in Alaska.

Homer Tunnel – 3/4 of a mile through solid granite. Construction began in 1935, but it didn’t actual open to traffic until 1954.

The drive abounds in high peaks.

Bowen Falls on Milford Sound.

The iconic view of Mitre Peak (at left) on Milford Sound. Also the end of the road.

Free beach campsite on south end of Lake Wakatipu.

Even more beautiful the next morning.

Panoramic – click to view larger.

Drive up the long (84 km) eastern shore of Lake Wakatipu to Queenstown and on to Glenorchy.

Looks like Lord of the Rings territory to me…because it is! Very difficult to capture this dynamic landscape in photographs.